


last love

by writeiolite



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fluff, Love at First Sight, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27726082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeiolite/pseuds/writeiolite
Summary: fate is a funny thing — no matter what you've lost, if it's meant to be it'll come back to you, and maybe with something else you'll love.
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Reader
Kudos: 44
Collections: Comms





	last love

**Author's Note:**

> crossposted on my tumblr, writeiolite
> 
> [ ! ] if you want to use this fic in a reading video (like ASMR or smth), please dm/inbox me on tumblr or comment here and get my permission first

Tooru is by no means a _bad_ date, you just…

An audible sigh steams through his nostrils, his eyes on his phone and his other hand still interlaced with yours under the table.

Clearly, you’re not the only one that doesn’t want to be here, but what can the two of you do? A minuscule masquerade ball like this isn’t worth putting up a fight over, and frankly, he might be better than your _other_ options.

When it came to choosing between Prince Pretty Boy of Seijoh and the Prince Brute of Shiratorizawa, you didn’t really have to decide. It doesn’t help that the latter keeps _staring_ at you from a few seats away, not giving his own date any attention. To be fair, you’re pretty sure she’s infatuated with Tooru, but… Prince Wakatoshi — even in his decorative masquerade mask — isn’t your type. You’ve been invited to his palace multiple times before and no matter what you’re not impressed. The most eventful thing to happen to you here was losing your mother’s bracelet, and even he wasn’t much help in finding it.

“Can we get up and do something else besides sitting here?”

Prince Tooru gives you a skeptical look. “I thought you didn’t want to dance in shoes like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean to you?” you shoot back.

He breathes a laugh. “Just being nice. But don’t get feelings when I whisk you away on the ballroom floor.”

You cringe. _So dramatic_. Prince Tooru stands and holds his arm out for you, his expression sweet once more. He makes a point to parade you past Prince Wakatoshi’s date, smirking to himself and leaning down to whisper in your ear.

“Remember what I-”

“Oh, shut it,” you grumble, pulling away so you can properly place your hands on his shoulder and palm once the next song starts. Just think: a couple more hours of useless sitting and dancing and you’ll be escorted home. There were other parties you’d much rather be at — Prince Nishinoya never disappoints — but Prince Tooru’s parents insisted he bring _you_. “Diplomacy” and all.

“I hate this dance,” he grits out lowly, only glancing away from you once to look over your shoulder at the girl who will soon take your place. While this may not be a courting dance, it’s one that lets partners interact and exchange — something he’s desperately trying to avoid. “Let’s move.”

You don’t get to protest, already being spun around and guided away from whatever girl he didn’t want to dance with. It’s almost dizzying, but he keeps a strong hold on you so you don’t trip over your feet. It would’ve been his fault anyway — maybe if he’d stop being _so dang picky!_

A sigh of irritation leaves you when he spins you once more, the two of you gliding like lilies over a lake further and further from the center of the ballroom. The petals of your dress float and twirl after you, blooming and reaching as if to let you have that much more freedom. Freedom comes in gentle breezes across still waters, but it also comes as a splash of an unfamiliar face lacking a mask, fiery tufts of hair sticking straight up in contrast with the serene setting you were once in. Whoever he is, he’s either incredibly unprepared or incredibly bold for showing up without a mask.

Your gaze washes over him, taking in his full height even as Prince Tooru steps with you in sync to the music — everything is being drowned out as you process what’s in front of you. He’s… _familiar_? _No_ , maybe he’s just peculiar and that’s why you’re staring so hard. His eyes glimmer with curiosity even with his arms crossed like he’s a mystery himself. If he’s trying to appear closed off from the world, it’s not working. Instead, you feel invited to learn more when you see the broach on his chest: the same one as Prince Wakatoshi’s, a symbol of Shiratorizawa royalty.

_Who on Earth?_

The song picks up in tempo, your hands passing over another man’s before you’re spun in the right direction, just as the dance dictates. Even with the new dance partner, your eyes drift to the island of mystery practically in the edge of the room, his own eyes seeming to soak in the world around him with the smallest curve of mischief on his lips.

Why can’t you look away?

While you don’t have an answer, the universe seems to have a solution when he turns and walks out of the room. Really, what did you think would happen? Did you hope for him to lock eyes with you across the room and whisk you away from the random man you’re dancing with? Funny, Prince Tooru was supposed to be the dramatic one, not you.

You’re passed on to the next dance partner with your thoughts still focused on him. Maybe it’s because right now you’re bored, and nothing is more entertaining than seeing Shiratorizawa’s own royalty not follow masquerade rules. That’s a fair judgment…!

So why are you following him?

“Stupid… Why are you doing this?” You mutter bitter words to yourself while you turn down the hall, barely catching a glimpse of the end of his long coat around another corner. “Am I really going to chase him down? I really _do_ have nothing better to do…”

You ignore the possibility of Prince Tooru giving you the stink eye for the rest of the night — what happens to him is out of your jurisdiction in this land anyway! As long as _you_ don’t get caught.

“Oh, I got you now,” sings the man you were following, a curve to his lips and a glint in his eyes. You stop walking and look around, realizing you’ve been led outside to some balcony you’ve never been on, the dark of night topped off with stars sprinkled about. And his _smile_. His glowing smile seems intimidating at the same time that you’re intrigued.

“Like a moth to a flame.”

If you’re supposed to be nervous then maybe you should see a doctor. The last thing you feel right now is nervous, not when his fiery head of hair is bathed in a celestial wash, various decorations on his suit lighting up and seeming to come to life with each breath he takes. And every single one leaves you breathless, even when he smiles at you like he knows something or is planning something. All you want is to take a moment to admire before you respond, lilies blooming under your breast and the waters from before disturbed with a feeling you cannot place.

“I was hoping you would come,” he tells you. “When I first saw you I was a little envious, but I’m glad that things ended up this way.” He slides his hands into his pockets before pulling just one out as a fist.

You take the cue and step forward but don’t hold your hand out for him. “What is it?”

“Something you’re missing.”

Such a simple answer and yet you’re tempted to trust him anyway — what’s the harm? You’re in a palace where you couldn’t be safer no matter how far you wander. You open your palm to him and feel a chain — warm from his own hand — trickle into it. One look and your heart stops.

“This is— wait, you’re—…” Peculiar _and_ familiar were both right. The flutter in your chest is new, but you can only look between him and the bracelet.

“When you first got invited here by the prince, you dropped that bracelet. I tried to give it back to you but you always got pulled away by a certain someone.” He sighs, half for dramatics and half in relief.

“Y-you’ve had it this whole time?” You run your thumb over the familiar chain and jewels, nostalgia filling you. It’s a bracelet that’s been passed down on the maternal side of your family for generations, so losing it had felt devastating. Even when your grandmother and mother reassured you that fate would make it come back sometime, you lost sleep over it. Now you’re just at a loss for words when he nods, and you do what feels natural.

Whether it’s the force of fate, the magnetic pull you’ve been feeling this whole time, or extreme gratitude, your chest meets the familiar stranger’s, arms thrown around his neck and words of gratitude repeating. You remember seeing him and his attempts to talk to you all those months ago, but you were too occupied with Prince Wakatoshi to talk with his best friend.

How could you forget Tendou Satori, and why would fate have you seeing him again like this?

“Oh, uh.” He chuckles awkwardly, patting your back and nearly feeling your heart pounding — or is that his? — from how close you two are. “You’re welcome. Good thing you were here tonight.”

You pull away as embarrassment rises in you, but you can’t push down the fuzzy happiness that comes with it. “Yeah, good thing. But what did you mean by you were envious when you first saw me? I don’t remember you looking anything of the sort when we first crossed paths.”

His cheeks go a little pink, but he casts his face down to give attention to your hands. His fingers are warm when he picks the jewelry from you and begins to put it on your wrist where it belongs. “I don’t remember you sparring me a glance back then either.”

You purse your lips, your own cheeks feeling warm at his retort. “Well, I’ll admit that this is the first time I’ve really gotten a good look at you but—”

“Do you hug everyone you first meet?” He stands up straight once the bracelet is clasped, looking down at you skeptically even if he’s teasing.

You tilt your chin up at him. “No, just the ones that are shady at masquerade parties and run through the halls.”

“Tch, who else does that?” He has a good idea of who… The Prince isn’t exactly amicable at every party.

You smile at him now, shooting a wink. “Stay with me the rest of the night and find out?”

And as fate would have it, not only were you chasing him this time, but now he can’t say no.

**Author's Note:**

> [read more fics, talk to me, and show support on my tumblr.](https://writeiolite.tumblr.com)
> 
> [ ! ] if you want to use this fic in a reading video (like ASMR or smth), please dm/inbox me on tumblr or comment here and get my permission first


End file.
